Improvement in chairs



H. CLARK. Chair.

No. 208,153. Patented Sept. 1?, i878.

7/22'7gesse5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM CLARK, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,153, dated September 17, 1878; application filed August 5, 1878.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM CLARK, of Syracuse, county of Onondaga, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Chairs; and I declare the following to be such a full and complete description of my invention as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of devices in which there is provided, in a compact and durable form, a common center having a system of radiating hollow arms, which are used for the reception of the legs, seat-frame, and back pieces of chairs and settees, the object being to simplify and to lessen the expense of the manufacture of chairs and settees, and at the same time to produce a durable and substantial article of great strength and beauty of design.

To this end my invention consists in providin g a metallic center having radiating sockets for the reception of the frame-pieces, said center being cast in one piece, the leg, seatframe, and back-piece sockets radiating from a common center or elongated hub.

To employ the device, two socket-centers are used in constructing chairs, and two or more may be used in settees, according to size and length required.

It will be observed that the soeket-center can be made light or heavy, according to the style of the chair or settee desired, and can be made of common malleable iron and painted or japanned for low-priced goods or it can be nickel-plated, bronzed, or silvered for fine and expensive furniture. In fact it can be varied to meet the requirements of manufacturers for a cheap or expensive article, as desired.

For a more specific description of my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, like letters indicating corresponding parts, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a chair, showing the adaptation of the device to the construction of chairs and settees. Fig. 2

shows a side view of the socket chair-center, with the metal of the seat-frame socket cut away at c to show the framing-piece in position.

The letter C represents the socket-center,

which is constructed of metal, preferably of malleableiron, brass, or bronze. It consists, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, of a system of radiating socket-s, a a a a, which are cast onto the hub or central socket d at right angles thereto.

The sockets are of sufficient length to afford a firm support to the difierent parts of the chair, and may be finished off in ribbed work and fillets for ornament, as taste may dictate.

As shown in Fig. 2, two centers are used in constructing chairs, being placed opposite to each other and secured together by-the rear seat-frame piece, H.

For long settees it may be necessary to use additional center sockets, which necessitates the extension of the seat-frame socket (I on the outer face or side, a, Fig. 1.

The chair or settee can be upholstered as elaborately or as cheaply as desired.

The chair or settee frame I) can be curved or constructed as desired, it being simply necessary to conform the socket thereto.

It is obvious that the employment of this socket-center in the manufacture of chairs and settees effects a saving of labor and produces an article of great strength and durability- I am aware that school seats or forms have been constructed having a solid block for center, provided with apertures for receiving the frame-pieces.

I am also aware that combined wash-benches and wringer-frames have been heretofore used, constructed by uniting gas-pipes by two or more differently-constructed socketed couplings, and I do not claim, broadly, either of these forms but What I.claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A chair or settee composed of the central socket-frames C, in combination with the parts I), E b, H, and F b, when the metallic center is cast in one piece and the frame provided with suitable covering, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of August, A. D. 1878.

HIRAM CLARK.

Witnesses:

LAWRENCE T. J oNEs, J. NEAL PERKINS. 

